Company fined after apprentice suffers fractured skull at commercial vehicle maintenance company

A Birmingham based motor vehicle company has been fined after an apprentice suffered head injuries whilst undertaking maintenance work on a commercial vehicle.

Birmingham Magistrates’ Court heard how the Central England Municipals Limited (CEML) apprentice employee was working alongside an experienced mechanic replacing air suspension bags beneath a 39,000kg trailer. The air suspension bag was still under pressure and ejected sideways striking the injured person.

The employee suffered a fractured skull and was placed in an induced coma as a result of this incident.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) into the incident, which occurred on 5 June 2017, found there was a failure to assess risk, a failure to implement a safe system of work and a failure to ensure that employees were appropriately trained and monitored to ensure the task could be carried out safely.

Central England Municipals Limited (trading as M6 Commercials) of Nechells, Birmingham pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and has been fined £20,000 and ordered to pay costs of £921.40.

Speaking after the case HSE inspector Christopher Maher said: “If a suitable safe system of work has been in place prior to the incident, the life changing injuries sustained by the employee could have been prevented.”

Notes to Editors:

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. We prevent work-related death, injury and ill health through regulatory actions that range from influencing behaviours across whole industry sectors through to targeted interventions on individual businesses. These activities are supported by globally recognised scientific expertise. www.hse.gov.uk